Working For The Devil
by SirnightDamaxan
Summary: This is a story all about Tony and Pepper's relationship before the Ironman suit. Our favorite couple had a very rocky start didn't they?
1. Your Name Is Tabloids, Right?

**Author's Note:**

 **I'm back everybody! I love the Tony/Pepper pairing and I thought I would write a series for them. These are all about their beginnings as Personal Assistant and Billionaire Boss. I personally feel their beginnings don't get enough love in the fanfiction community. I'm adding some parts of the comics to the movie-verse for plot devices. I do not own Marvel Comics or the characters they design. As always stay happy and review!**

 **Chapter One: Your Name Is Mr. Tabloids, Right?**

"Are you positive Miss Potts that you are prepared for this duty?" Her job counselor asked politely. The soft clacking keys from rapid-fire typing ceased their rhythmic dance. Pepper Potts shifted her hands imperceptibly in her lap and felt their uncomfortable stickiness. Her skirt felt hot and uncomfortable and the room appeared to be moving.

"Ma'am, Anthony Stark does not frighten me. I am confident in my abilities to avoid any unnecessary circumstances." Pepper answered confidently. At least she hoped it was confident, because she sure as hell didn't feel that way. Honestly, she was just an accountant. All she did was notice an error in the spreadsheets, which were personally supervised by Captain Paranoid himself, and here she was being accepted as his personal assistant! It was almost too much for her to bear. She had no qualifications, no believable excuses to avoid being his assistant, and no idea how to approach this new task. _Don't be ridiculous Pepper!_ She thought _It's not like he's the Devil._

Of course the tabloids would beg to differ. Every other headline was of the infamous Tony Stark stumbling out of a bar with a dopey drunken grin and onyx shades. His career was based on murder for goodness sakes and if that wasn't awful enough he was quite the flirt. He was The Flirt. Pepper used to spend hours betting with her female coworkers on how many notches he had on his headboard. One argued that he probably had one hundred and all of them blonde. But that was a physical impossibility for even Mr. Stark so the bet moved to the more favorable number of fifty six and all of them varied, but equally stupid, supermodels.

"Alright then, you're in. Just as a foreclosure on behalf of your new job, Mr. Stark is famous for being a flirt..."

"Oh I'm quite aware of that!" Pepper interrupted. She apologized when she noticed the disapproving frown on her job counselor's face.

"As I was saying," she continued "Mr. Stark is indeed an incorrigible man, but he is a genius Miss Potts. Truly a marvel, he is. Now he was impressed by your brain, that's an advantage most other employees don't have, so I suggest you use that brain to your advantage." The printer whirred to life and Pepper was handed warm papers. "Now these papers include his address, where you will be spending a majority of your time, his preferences for attire, and a typed list of requirements." Pepper eyed the papers scrupulously. Of course the billionaire would have preferences for attire. Most likely tight mini-skirts and button down blouses that leave nothing to the imagination. Why oh why did she agree to this job?

Pepper pulled up to the front of a gorgeous mansion on the beach. She closed the door of her car, gaping like a beached fish. It was beyond words, with walls made of glass and steel. She inhaled deeply and strutted to the door, her heels offering a reassuring and sharp beat. It was five o'clock in the afternoon, the hour he requested to meet, so she simply opened the heavy door. It wasn't as if he wasn't expecting her. _He'd better be._ Her cynical mind grumbled.

"Good afternoon Miss Potts" a kindly British voice greeted. Pepper spun around looking for the voice's owner but could find no one. "Would you care to sit down?" Pepper felt the fear rising in her chest. No one told her Tony's house was haunted!

"Oh that's just JARVIS." A rough yet very smooth voice called to her. _Oh enough with the voices!_ Pepper turned towards what she could only assume to be the living room and seated in the cream colored couch was Anthony Stark. He didn't look like his tabloids. His hair was slightly askew and fell into his deep brown eyes that appeared to burn into Pepper's chest. His beard was trimmed in it's usual geometric fashion but traces of stubble lingered beneath. He was clad in only a dark gray t-shirt and black jeans. "Pardon my appearance, I was working. Well, please sit down." Pepper nodded numbly and strode to the armchair across from him. "Drink?" Pepper shook her head no. "Suit yourself." He rose and began preparing himself a scotch.

"Um, Mr. Stark, what exactly do you need me for?" Pepper broke the silence between them. The ice cube in Tony's glass tinkled gently as he swirled the beverage gently in his large palm.

"Well, to be perfectly frank, I don't know. You impressed me and I acted on impulse. It's rare for me to find someone who can correct me. I don't like being wrong." His eyes very subtly flashed for a brief moment. If Pepper wasn't watching his every movement like a hawk, she wouldn't have noticed. _Poker face indeed Mr. Stark,_ Pepper mused.

"To be straight with you as well, Mr. Stark, I don't care for being wrong either." Pepper rose and strode towards him feeling the new found feeling of confidence swelling in her chest. "Let me make this clear, Mr. Stark, I am not another notch for your bedpost, I am not an object for your desire. You will treat me professionally at all times and no exceptions. Don't let me be wrong about you, because your first impressions seemed sincere. Am I clear?" Tony Stark grinned. His teeth a glittering white against his tan skin. Pepper could practically see the Devil horns sprouting and the cogs turning in his devious mind.

"Will that be all Miss Potts?"

"That will be all Mr. Stark." And with that Pepper left the residence of her employer.

 **Author's Note:**

 **This story will continue if I get ten reviews! I know I'm evil, sorry! I love you all and thanks for reading!**


	2. Rock and Roll Hearts

**Author's Note:**

 **I may not have gotten the ten reviews I wanted but I couldn't resist these two! Thank you to those who did review however, and I love all five of you for it! I do not own Marvel Comics or the characters they design. As always stay happy and review!**

 **Chapter Two: Rock and Roll Hearts**

The last time Pepper heard rock and roll blaring from speakers was in a particularly dark period of her high school years. A period which involved bouffant hair styles, the classic "black phase", and dancing and writhing madly to rock music. It was a guilty pleasure of hers to save those classic tunes on her Black Berry and drown out the world to the crooning of The Eagles. However, her _boss_ , Tony "The Flirt" Stark, insisted to crank up his favorite jams while he worked on who knew what. Pepper was not permitted into his inner sanctum, as he clearly laid out on his preferences page. But now, as she sat, knees demurely crossed, reading over a PDF file on the newest Stark Industries weapons design, the echoing guitar solo from "Carry On My Wayward Son" rattled her skull.

Pepper moaned and put her head in her hands. If she had known working with Mr. Stark would be a flashback from her less glorious years, she would have refused the job outright. But after listening to rock and roll for ten solid hours on full blast was enough to raise the She-Demon emotions inside her. She rose from her perch on the stool near his kitchen counter. She followed the pulsing drums and wailing guitar to the top of his elegantly crafted stairs that led to his basement. Who knew what deranged things he practiced down there? Pepper often envisioned that the broody Tony Stark nursed a crippling drug and alcohol addiction down in the basement. If this were true, Tony would have the shakes incessantly and a man who lives for his mind and hands would certainly avoid crippling them. No, Stark most likely avoided humanity in the basement because humanity could never truly satisfy him.

Pepper once watched on Youtube Tony Stark's valedictorian speech at MIT University. He wore many cords, and looked every bit the brilliant young man everyone knew him to be. However, his words echoed a distance, a forlornness, a disgust. His smile was brilliant but very fake, and every person present shrugged it off as he was plastered from a crazy night of partying. Pepper couldn't sit through the whole speech, it all felt forced. It felt as though Tony Stark did not care about people, people were not worth his precious time. Machines however, steel and gears, grinding cogs and humming electricity, that was Stark. So she marched down those stairs and strutted to his glass enclosure. It was almost like visiting the animals at the zoo, look but most definitely don't touch. She gasped at the sheer vastness of his sanctum. Row upon row of gorgeous cars and the most advanced technology in the world before her appraising eyes. Her gaze fell on Tony, covered in car grease and inaudibly muttering under the raucous tune. His hair fell into his face, brows twisted in a pensive frown. He licked his bottom lip in thought and rose to assess the hot rod before him. Pepper noticed a dial on her side of the glass with the word "VOLUME" beckoning at her. She bit her knuckle apprehensively and pointed a delicate finger at it. Involuntarily she let her finger fall, resulting in a drastic turn down of Tony Stark's music.

Tony jolted from his scientific stupor and glared at Pepper.

"I thought I made it clear that you're not allowed down here. Or does typing stutter now?" He typed rapidly a pass code on his side of the glass and opened the door. Pepper stepped in cautiously and it felt like being sealed in a tomb. "Even if you were allowed in here, you sure as hell can't turn down my music." Listening to Tony Stark snarl over music was almost laughable. So Pepper giggled and pointed a joking finger in her boss' direction. "What is so freaking funny!? Listen Potts, there are few things that I don't allow you to do, I even gave you valuable pass codes to access PDF files!" Tony Stark wore a disgruntled look and sighed heavily. He ran his greasy fingers through his hair and plopped himself down in front of the hot rod.

"You know what's funny?" Pepper intoned "You! With all of your 'greater than thou' nonsense! And in all of that labyrinthine mind of yours you never once considered that maybe your personal assistant does not want to be deaf by the time she's fifty!" Pepper huffed. Tony smacked the hood of the hot rod and was rewarded by a gurgle and a splatter of fresh car oil on his face.

"Damn it." He hissed and searched frantically for a towel. Pepper offered him one next to the bench she was sitting on. He snatched it from her hand and roughly dried his face. "What? No thank you?" Pepper questioned innocently. Tony shot her a bleary-eyed look and mumbled "Thanks". Pepper moved towards him and took the towel from his shoulders and raised her brow at his questioning stare.

"What's your name? Because I'm not going to call my PA 'Miss Potts' all the live-long day." Pepper eyed Tony for an ulterior motive and found none.

"Virginia. But everyone calls me Pepper because of my red hair and freckles."

"Well that's a..." Pepper watched him search for the word "lovely name. Both." He glared at the hot rod and Pepper began walking towards the door. "I'll give you pass codes for that too, since you appear determined to stay." He smirked in her direction as Pepper left for the night.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thanks for reading and don't worry Rhodey is coming soon! Please review!**


	3. Drunken Idiot, meet Angry Redhead

**Author's Note:**

 **Well everybody, here's Lieutenant Rhodes! Let me know if you want me to write in Tony's POV as well! I do not own Marvel Comics or the characters they design. As always stay happy and review!**

 **Chapter Three: Drunken Idiot, meet Angry Redhead**

Pepper sighed in exasperation and rubbed her long ivory fingers against her temples. She inhaled deeply and grabbed the cup of coffee sitting patiently beside her laptop. The financial reports sent to her were fluctuating in absurd amounts. Now she had to spend an equally absurd amount of time determining liabilities, contacting accountants in the office, sending engineers and techies to determine whether or not it was a computer malfunction, all in all it was a massive headache that Pepper did not have the patience for. _I wonder if Stark would notice if I took a little of his alcohol?_ Pepper thought as she cast a withering glance towards his large indoor bar. She shook her head in frustration. She was way too professional to drink on the job! She growled in frustration and checked her Blackberry for any new texts. Stark had gone off to "who knows where" and left no note, no nothing! Not that she worried about that arrogant cuss! Far from it! But at least let your _Personal Assistant_ know where you'll be spending your _personal_ evening so she doesn't have to stay up all freaking night making sure no one breaks into your precious Malibu Mansion! Pepper rose from her seat on the couch and shut her laptop with a snap. She marched over to Tony's bar and pulled out the smallest shot glass she could find. Even she, Virginia Potts, could have her not unsubstantial patience tested by the tendencies of Tony Stark. As she began opening a bottle of scotch, JARVIS answered the door with a good-natured "good evening Lieutenant Rhodes". Pepper fumbled the alcohol and narrowly avoided dropping it on the floor when she heard muttering at the door.

Her first impression of Lieutenant Rhodes was of a drunken Tony Stark draped around his shoulders and an understanding smile on his face. He was tall, at least taller than Tony, and was neater in appearance.

"Pardon me ma'am, but I believe this belongs to you." The Lieutenant shrugged Tony off of his shoulders and gingerly placed him on the couch. Tony groaned sluggishly and pointed at the Lieutenant's face.

"You cheated...yoush bum!" Tony slurred and giggled gently. "I totally beat you at that card game Rhodey!" Pepper cast a glare in Rhodey's direction.

"Care to explain Lieutenant?" Pepper said in a voice that could carve ice. Rhodey gulped nervously and nodded.

"Please ma'am, call me Rhodey. Tony is a friend of mine, my best friend actually, and he decided we should get together tonight while I was on leave. But, as always, Tony got carried away and now he's laying here with a blood alcohol level that would rival moonshine." Tony giggled again. It was really quite ridiculous to Pepper, her boss giggling.

"Oh cut the bull, Rhodes, and get me another scotch! Oh hi Pepps' when did you get here?" Pepper sighed and went to the bar to pour a water.

"Here you go Mr. Stark, the finest vodka your money can buy." She offered him the water and he gulped it down with gusto. She would have been sickened by his zeal if not for the fact she was laughing so hard at the way realization dawned on his plastered face. His eyes widened like plates and he stared open-mouthed at Pepper and then the glass and then Pepper again.

"You tricked me!" He leaned forward comically and then grasped at Rhodey's lapels. "She tricked me Rhodes. Why don'sh you arrest her!?" Rhodey sighed and brushed his friend off of his jacket.

"I'm not a cop Tony, you know that."

"Well you should be." griped Tony. "Look at this face. Ish that not the most coppish face youf' evah' seen!" He guffawed and leaned on the couch again.

"I best be heading home. It was nice to meet you Miss..?" Pepper extended her hand and shook his briskley.

"Potts. Virginia Potts. You however may call me Pepper, I assume I'll see much more of you in the future. Probably dragging home my drunken boss." She smiled briefly. Rhodey relaxed and his features suddenly leaped in surprise.

"You're Pepper? Oh my God, Tony would not shut up about you! He kept insisting that you were the reason he kept showing up on time for meetings. Of course I just assumed it was an eccentric phase but know that I see you," he paused and smiled softly "you're exactly what my best friend needs. Good night Miss Potts." Rhodey nodded to her and left her in the quiet of Tony's mansion. All she heard was the gentle snores of Stark himself coming from the couch. Pepper sighed and grabbed her belongings from the coffee table and left aspirin and water in their place. He'd probably have a monster of a hangover when he awoke.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thanks for reading everybody!**


	4. And They Never Knew

**Author's Note:**

 **Hello everyone I'm so very sorry for the wait! Unfortunately the repairmen can't figure out what's wrong with my computer so updates will remain as they are and for that I apologize. Hopefully this satisfies your literature hunger! Without further ado… Chapter 4!**

 **Chapter Four: And They Never Knew**

Tony awoke with a blistering headache that pounded like the subwoofers in his car. Groaning, he fumbled for the glass of water on his coffee table and gulped it down. He noticed a scrap of paper, it looked like one of the coaster napkins he used for drinks, and it was covered in the messy scrawl of someone who was a Math Major in college. Blinking blearily, he grabbed it from its peaceful resting place of leaning on a bowl holding two aspirin.

 _-Mr. Stark_

 _Take these pills they'll make your headache go away and don't try to push through it like every other testosterone-riddled male who thinks they can "just deal with it"! I'll see you after work today as per usual, and Lieutenant Rhodes says," Hello"._

 _-Virginia Potts_

 _God,_ Tony thought, _could she possibly make it sound any more like a Doctor's note?_ He crumpled the paper and tossed it into the wastebasket by the bar. It hit the rim and fell onto the floor in a defeated heap.

"Believe me I feel the same way." The billionaire grumbled and rose from his spot on the couch. The crick in his spine refused to go away and he was reminded of just how much he despised passing out on the couch. "Hey, JARVIS, take a note. Remind me to never challenge Rhodey to a poker Jell-O shot match again."

"I already have this note in my system, sir. And you ignored my alert to your phone." JARVIS replied cordially.

"Then I'll ignore it again!" Tony rubbed his temples in annoyance and tried desperately to ignore the ache. He stumbled towards his sanctum, but his pride would vehemently profess he walked like a normal human being. He forgot about the two inviting aspirin lying abandoned on his coffee table. "JARVIS! Start the coffee and make it strong and black enough to absorb everything." He slumped on top of his work bench, he despised working with chairs when his mind was awash with deep thoughts. If someone were to walk in, Tony would look for the entire world to be a washed-up version of a depressed genius. They wouldn't have been wrong. He sighed and rubbed his face with his large calloused palms. His little robot, Butterfingers, whirred in with a white mug of black coffee. Tony took it graciously and gulped it down, ignoring the unpleasant scald. He glanced around his hovel and saw no genius, everyone else saw genius; wealth. No, Tony saw wasted years; he found no comfort in his degrees or his mind. When he looked about his scattered blueprints and unfinished projects, he saw the wide-eyed gaze of a child who grew up too fast. A kid who hid in knowledge his insecurities, a youth who clamored for the attention he never garnered from his own Father in greedy, pawing hands and the familiar burn of alcohol. Tony hated hangovers, they always made him moody.

"Miss Potts will be here soon." JARVIS murmured into the uneasy stillness of the air surrounding his creator. Tony grunted in acknowledgement and began that damned climb to reality. He always appreciated how Pepper respected his eccentric tendencies, even if that meant dressing as he deemed fit. However, based on Pepper's dumbfounded look, she had not expected his tastes to be well, tasteful. Today was no exception; she strutted with that cool confidence of a woman who wore heels as though they were slippers. Her pencil skirt was cut an inch above the knee **(4.25 centimeters A/N)** , just the way Tony liked it, and was a solid navy in color. Her polyester blouse looked silken to the touch and was a soft peach in color. Her auburn hair was tied back in her customary smooth ponytail and she cast Tony a look with those crystalline blue eyes of hers. She was an observant person and with a grim set to her jaw she clacked towards him, at the top of his stairs.

"Whoever told you coffee was a good idea was full of it. Water, Mr. Stark, water is key." Tony watched her pour him water and pass him a glass. "Drink and be merry." She smirked. As she pulled out her laptop and began her odious task of scrolling through meeting reports, Tony made a mental note to not let Virginia Potts too close. Nothing good came to him when people knew him well.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Short but deep, I wanted a little bit of Tony too because he is such a complex character and his thoughts on Pepper were too intriguing to pass up. As always, read and review! I will update as soon as I can.**


	5. All's fair in Flirt and War

**Author's Note:**

 **Hello everyone, I'm back. First, I owe all of you a sincere apology. I've been stricken with an unfortunate case of writer's block and hopefully this will be a small spark of creativity so now, without further ado…Chapter 5.**

 **Chapter Five: All's fair in Flirt and War**

Pepper couldn't remember the last time Tony crawled out of his underground hovel. For the past two days there had been barely a peep from Tony, and much like a toddler, silence was unsettling. Pepper had made her home on his plushy couch and gazed evenly out of his massive window. The ocean made gentle lapping sounds against the rocky cliffs nearby and the lights of California began illuminating the coastline as the sun bled out across the darkening sky. Pepper huffed softly under her breath. What did she care about his habits? A paycheck is a paycheck and she wasn't paid damn near enough to babysit her boss. She tried to recall the last time he actually spoke to her since the whole "Drunk Affair". If anything, he avoided her more than ever. Pepper couldn't quite pinpoint this man, one moment he was flamboyant and the next brooding.

She remembered one day stepping into his "sanctum" as he was away in Las Vegas. He was supposed to be at a meeting, but she knew that he was really shooting craps with the first female with a functioning pulse. Well, that was distasteful of her, more like the first girl with a nice chest. But when she investigated his basement, it was almost as if she were climbing into his head. There were papers meticulously stacked in an almost blueprint fashion. They were so thin, she could see right through, and each individual sketch fit together in an intricate union. She stared at them in awe, admiring his artistic and detail-oriented mind. They were pieces of a rocket; at least she assumed it was a rocket, and the name he gave it left her running from the room as fast as her heels could carry her. _The Virginia._ To her chagrin, her generally rock-steady hands faltered as she typed the reports of that day, and when Tony returned home two days later she resorted back to calling him Mr. Stark.

But now, gazing at the now inky water and the light from his fireplace really the only glow in the house, she tucked her now heelless stocking covered feet beneath her rump. She felt like a kid again, except five year old Virginia Potts would not be holding a glass of Pinot Grigio. Tony let her raid his liquor collection when she was having a particularly tough day at the office, and honestly, it was a trying day. Too many meetings, too many well-to-doers, too much crap. She took a tentative sip at her glass and cast her blue eyes back at his stairs. The silence was stretching too long but it wouldn't have surprised her if he fell asleep on his desk again. She sighed and checked the time on her Blackberry, it was always close by in case of important messages, and she sighed wearily when she saw it was already eleven o-clock at night. Her eyes drifted to the grand piano glinting in the firelight. She'd noticed it her first day, and when Obadiah came around he would play it rather beautifully. Pepper bit her lip in confusion, surely a man as wealthy and practical as Anthony Stark would not purchase a piano simply because his friend played it. She rose from her position as piece of the furniture and stepped quietly to the piano. She glanced nervously back at the stairs, still nothing, and what was the harm in pressing a few keys. She took very few lessons as a child, and her mother made her quit when Pepper refused to practice at home. Pepper sat and stared cautiously at the expanse of eighty-eight ivory keys. It was the point of no return, and so she pressed the key, if she remembered correctly, was C. Then it was almost as if it all came flooding back to her, and soon arpeggios erupted from her fingertips and then chromatic scales and then…an impossibly warm and calloused hand covered her petite one. She sprang from her seat terrified and gazed wide-eyed at the amused expression of her boss.

"You're shorter without your heels, Miss Potts." He chuckled warmly, his voice smooth as scotch. Pepper blushed as she realized how awkward the situation was.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you Mr. Stark, I thought you were working or asleep, and your piano is really so beautiful." He simply smirked deeply at how flustered she was and picked up her glass of wine.

"Rough day, huh?" He took the final gulp of the red liquid and sat down on the piano bench next to her. "You didn't bother me, if anything you're saving me from pulling another all-nighter on a dead end." He cast his deep brown eyes at her, and it must've been the wine in her system, but she wanted to melt into them. He flicked his eyes back on her hand "you play?" Pepper choked back her surprise at the first civil conversation they'd had in about a week.

"Well, I used to, but I wouldn't practice. Do you?" She eyed him warily as his wonderful hands stroked the ivory carefully. He smiled, a soft genuine smile, and hummed quietly in response.

"A long time ago, but I don't think too long." He adjusted himself on the bench and Pepper attempted to ignore the delicious way his cologne blended with the scent of coffee grains and the warmth of his flesh irradiating from his shirt. He tentatively placed his hands on the keys, and as if they were his own precious machines, they practically sang beneath him. She recognized the piece, "Moonlight Sonata" by Ludwig van Beethoven. The music seemed to float around them as she plummeted further into the wonderful enigma of Tony Stark. When the song finished, she immediately mourned it. Tony seemed to not notice her pout, or chose to ignore it, and rose from the bench. "It's late, Miss Potts, and you are most definitely drunk, why don't you stay in the guest room tonight?" She blinked at him in wonder and her stupor made her question if it was really the wine that made her feel as intoxicated as she did. But of course that was silly and Pepper Potts was not going to fall for the biggest Flirt in America, maybe even the world. She agreed to stay and walked down the hall to the room she collapsed in.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thank you for reading! I feel Tony would know a little about music because I don't think he would own a piano just because Obadiah plays it. Please review and stay happy!**


	6. Dance with the Devil

**Author's Note:**

 **I am trash, believe me I know. I've been buried in college work and in the worst creative slump of my life so here is my next offering to you. I'm very sorry. Italics are flashback. Without further ado, Chapter 6!**

 **Chapter 6: Dance with the Devil**

When Pepper awoke she experienced that hangover haze she had not felt since college. Blinking blearily, she assessed the situation. She decided to make a mental checklist. Okay one, I am in a large room. Someone rich, maybe a frat party? No, too clean, someone with a maid. She winced as she realized her head was pounding mercilessly. No, focus, think rationally. As the fog began to clear from her eyes, she glanced down to peer between the sheets. Good, I'm not naked so I didn't have sex. So two, she wasn't used or was lucid enough to still decline advances. Pepper tried to determine her third point when she finally noticed the open closet. It was filled with crisp, pressed button downs, and tailored suits and vests. Her eyes focused on one vest.

It was a soft grey in color with muted grey pinstripes. She recognized this vest because it was the vest Tony wore to that gala. That gala, some charity event for saving the whales or something or other. Tony didn't care about it, so she was forced to care to ensure his public image remained intact. She did not merit an invitation, nor did she expect one, but she remembered the way he came home.

 _Pepper was sitting at the coffee table with a cup of cocoa steaming in her hand and the whipped cream slowly melting. The reports on her laptop were flickering by in actual time as she pondered over the numbers. She wouldn't lie and say she wasn't pleased to stay as an accountant, but she was miffed by being Stark's personal accountant. The sterile blue and white of the screen bleached her already pale skin as her eyes imperceptibly flicked from million to million, down to the last cent. She was quite relaxed as she perused the images that she dedicated her actual career to. Accounting filled her with a sense of peace like nothing else did. She sighed evenly and took a drawn-out sip from her cocoa. The heat of it warmed her to her toes and the fireplace was gently glowing. She would enjoy her Autumn creature comforts no matter what. There was a loud banging as the door swung open. JARVIS called out in his soothing voice._

" _Mr. Stark is home Miss Potts."_

" _Thank you, JARVIS, I am aware." Pepper chirped and rose from her spot on the plush couch. Tony was walking quickly towards the bar and pouring a scotch on the rocks. Pepper approached cautiously as he appeared to be irate over something. He was grumbling about "waste of his time", "not even a decent bar", "what the hell was even her name. Barbara?", all interspersed with the colorful language she had come to associate with him._

" _Anything I can help you with, Mr. Stark?" Pepper seated herself in her spot at the bar as she watched him practically chug his sixth shot._

" _Dammit Pepper, I said call me Tony. Mr. Stark was my Father." Tony slumped against the countertop his hair askew and the sunglasses starting to slip down the bridge of his nose revealing red-rimmed whiskey colored eyes. "Waste of my time. Who funded that shit anyway? Why the hell would a weapons designer like myself care about some damn whales!"_

" _It's for your image." He huffed at this. "I'm serious. The better you look on paper the less paperwork I have to deal with cleaning up your actual messes." She poured herself a glass of wine, Pinot Noir this time, she needed to mellow out. He hummed thoughtfully at this and inhaled deeply in an almost sigh. "Besides," she continued "who else could possibly cleanup after your escapades with Victoria Secret Top Models 1, 2, and 3?" She wanted to smack his smug smirk so badly._

" _You didn't have to be my maid."_

" _Well look how that turned out."_

" _You probably would look fantastic in fishnets, Miss Potts."_

" _And you won't be finding out, Mr. Stark."_

 _He smiled "I love this between us Pepper."_

" _I think you're getting a little drunk." He was staring at her in an unsettlingly knowing way as she put down her wine glass and took his tumbler from his hand._

" _Can you dance, Pepper?"_

 _She was startled and made no effort to hide it as she stared at him open-mouthed. God, I probably look like one of those stupid beached whales, she thought. "Might I ask where this is coming from, sir?"_

 _He smirked "Oh so it's sir now. Hmm, almost like the ring to it." Pepper blushed deeply and stammered weakly._

" _Th-That's not what I meant and you know it! You, you, disgusting, completely arrogant, sonofa- "She became increasingly flustered as Tony kept leaning in and then had the gall to put his hand on her waist. The slap echoed in his living room._

" _Ouch, Pepper!" He rubbed his reddening cheek and pouted in her direction._

" _That's Miss Potts! How dare you have the nerve to grab me without my consent!"_

" _Grab you?!"_

" _Touch my person, then! I am not one of your flings! I am no one to be trifled with, I'm an accountant!" She shoved her finger towards his face "And if you think for one second that I'd allow you to treat me as such then you're damn wrong Mr. Stark!"_

 _He stared at her flabbergasted and then coughed under his breath "Tony." She growled, yes, she'd admit it growled, and tackled him to the floor. Her attempt at attacking him was, understandably, poorly planned. She should have known that he would be physically stronger than her, that the tussle lasted a laughable minute, and that being pinned beneath him was a very bad position to be in, alas, she did not know and now was exactly where she did not want to be._

 _He panted above her in shock at her actions. "So, what they say about redheads are true. Noted." She scoffed beneath him._

" _And you still have room to be an ass even when you're out of breath." His mischievous grin could be considered dashing if she wasn't still buzzing like a hornet. His gray vest had popped buttons and was starting to tear._

" _Well, formal wear is not made like it used to be, Miss Potts." He rolled off her and Pepper would be loath to admit that she missed his comfortable warmth and weight. "Damn, and this one's my favorite."_

" _I'll have it repaired. I know a great tailor." Pepper sat up and adjusted the creases in her skirt._

" _I should have you arrested for domestic abuse." He huffed playfully._

" _Oh yes, I'd love to see the cops faces as Tony Stark says he got attacked by a little girl." She smirked. He stuck his tongue out at her and handed her his ruined vest. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?" He frowned at her but acquiesced._

" _That will be all, Miss Potts."_

Now as Pepper stared at that one garment she realized with a great sinking dread that Tony Stark had really grown on her.

 **Author's Note** __

 **Thank you for reading and I apologize for the terrible wait. Please enjoy!**


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